(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has appointed a Group of Eight cardinals to advise him in the governance of the Universal Church. In a communique issued Saturday the Secretariat of State announced that the Holy Father decided to set up the Council following on from discussions that emerged during the General Congregations in the lead up to the Conclave which elected him the 265th Successor to St Peter.
The group of Cardinals will be coordinated by Card. Oscar Andrés Maradiaga Rodríguez and is drawn from across the Universal Church. It will also help Pope Francis revise the Apostolic Consitution on the Roman Curia Pastor bonus.
The group is composed of :
Card. Giuseppe Bertello, President of the Governatorate of Vatican City State; Card. Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa, Archbishop emeritus of Santiago del Cile (Chile);
Card. Oswald Gracias, Archbishop of Bombay (India); Card. Reinhard Marx, Archbishop of München und Freising (Germany);
Card. Laurent Monswengo Pasinya, Archbishop of Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of Congo);Card. Sean Patrick O’Malley. O.F.M. Cap., Archbishop of Boston (U.S.A.);
Card. George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney (Australia);Card. Oscar Andrés Maradiaga Rodríguez S.D.B., Archbishop of Tegucigalpa (Honduras);
Mons. Marcello Semeraro, Bishop of Albano, Council secretary.
The first meeting of the Council will take place October 1-3, 2013. Pope Francis however is already in contact with all of the above mentioned Cardinals.
Briefing press Saturday the Holy See Press Office Director, Fr. Federico Lombardi, noted that the communiqué comes exactly one month since Pope’ Francis election to the Pontificate and shows that the Holy Father “listens attentively” to the suggestions of the College of Cardinals – his closest collaborators.
He also noted that the Group will have no legislative power and that its main function is to “help” and “advise” the Pope. Fr. Lombardi added that the Group will not in any way interfere in the normal functions of the Roman Curia, which helps the Pope in the daily governance of the Church.